Rationale
by Miss Celsius
Summary: ItaSaku:: She often wondered why she risked her life, sneaking out every night to see this man. Though, unfailingly, she had her answer by the end of each visit.


Just a one-shot for the lovely Lady Kyoshoku, because she deserves more good ItaSaku and, in her own words, too much plot is overrated!

Please enjoy. Rated for sexual themes.

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**Rationale**

It was odd to consider that, when it was viewed with a critical eye, Konoha's security could be described in two main points: like clockwork and riddled with holes. Of course it was among the world's most secure villages, but when one spent hours observing from countless positions the intricacies of its shift switches, the patterns in which patrols moved, and the angles of sight in the watchtowers, it seemed a wonder that they had remained relatively safe for this long.

Then again, Haruno Sakura was nothing short of a genius, and her sanity depended on her ability to detect the rifts in what was, in reality, the village's well-oiled machine of an almost perfect system. Everything, tonight, had gone exactly as it had nearly every other Friday evening—oh how initially she had been driven mad, noting that there was no consistency until she realized they cycled schedules by respective days. From her perch, it was easy to see the subtleties few others save for spies would detect.

There was an approximate five second window where the guards stationed at the gate would turn away to gather their belongings, while the relief had yet to arrive. And, from the position she dropped from Konoha's towering gates, the watchtower posts would be unable to see her from the shroud of darkness and the calculated angle. From there, it was merely a matter of darting into the foliage and dodging out of the patrol squadrons' paths and moving through the thin area where the several teams did not intersect.

In theory, it seemed easy enough, but in practice, at times, it was overwhelming.

Sakura pressed her back to the looming trunk of an oak, every muscle pulled taut and poised for any threat, while her chakra was simmered low to conceal herself as best she could. She knew very well that one slip up would be the end of her, and that, Hokage's apprentice or not, it would take a hell of a lot of explaining… Remaining silent or spitting out her reasons would both have her locked up or executed, and if she ran, the status of a nukenin did not suit her.

Sometimes, she wondered why she did this nearly every night. Her knees were lightly caked with dirt, her pink hair snagged with the occasional branch, and her _new dress_ was dirtied as well. She could have groaned out loud, but the risk of being found was too great. And when she drew her arm across her brow to brush away the sweat, and then dabbed beneath her eye as well, she _really_ wondered why she did this. There was a streak of black along her pale skin, and, she imagined, a lovely smear along her eye to match.

Damn her trembling hands… Surely, it couldn't be for this. She wasn't _that_ much of an adrenaline junkie, after all. Why, she cursed herself, why did she try to make herself look nice when she was doing this kind of work?

She was tired, sweaty, nearly trembling from the effort of breathing… And she had almost missed her mental cue! Biting down hard on her lip, Sakura focused a fleeting surge of chakra down to her feet to push her forward. The wind buffeted her face and hair while she darted with chakra-fed power nearly faster than her small frame could handle. Every muscle screamed, and her femininity wept for the wasted effort of dolling up.

The maps and figures rushed by in a nearly incomprehensible blur in her mind's eye—every dotted line she drew on maps, every timeframe she scrawled in the margins of it, her own path carved through it all, across Konoha's landscape… Her heart thrummed in time with the seconds she was mouthing to keep time, and the adrenaline that seared her veins' walls was painful, but she loved each moment. Each agonizing moment where her life hung on a balance that depended on her own intellect and ability to plan…

For a moment, her eyes squeezed shut while she mustered the last of her strength, while her breaths came hard, the chill of her exhaustion burning along her throat and lungs, and the reward behind her closed lids was the knowledge she was so close… She hardly cared that her newly-shaven legs were spattered with grime and fresh, thin cuts from the dense thickets, and that the material of her dress was in less than perfect condition and riding up higher as she ran with practiced speed and grace.

All that was reflected in the green depths of her eyes was the bluff that arched up from the ground, jagged and nearly deadly looking… And she ran directly at it without slowing. When the wall was mere feet from her body, she welcomed its embrace when she collided with it… Only to be met by the feeling of air as she passed through the soothing caress of his chakra, undetectable, settled over the area with a permanence not even she would call unnatural. Not that anyone else would notice there was a Genjutsu…

Sakura gripped an outcropping of rock inside the hollow within the cliff; her shoulders heaved while she regained her composure, caught her breath, and laughed, brittle from exhaustion, at the fact she had survived yet another escape. Physically, at least, and her morale was rejuvenated, save for her self esteem which pouted and sighed over the fact she now looked rather mussed, with her hair, grown down to her shoulder blades, in disarray, her makeup slightly smeared, and her clothing reflecting very well what she had just done.

Screw it. She ran her hands through her hair once to settle it right again and slowly continued down the narrow tunnel until she reached a metal door. She had found this place years ago; an abandoned shelter of the village that was now outclassed and useless… But it functioned well, she thought, with enough necessities like some food reserves—or at least storage—and a fair amount of furniture. She never imagined this old place would become such an important part of her life at nineteen years old…

Sakura gathered her strength into her arms, gripped the handle, and with a soft grunt, pulled until the metal growled at her in protest, and heaved open the door just enough so that she, being so petite, could slip inside and let it fall shut behind her. The sound was a comfort to her, but its relief paled in comparison to the sight of the dark figure before her.

The room was dimly lit, kept inhabitable by a few lamps and the almost romantic ambiance of candles that cast orange spheres of light around the sizeable area—the main room, a kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. And she swore she melted inside every time those eyes, glowing from the firelight, turned up and focused on her until she felt her soul give way beneath that piercing look.

Perhaps, she thought, this was why she foolishly risked her life… Just to see that gaze.

"Hi, Itachi."

She leaned back against the door while the shaded figure rose, setting down the book he had been reading on the chair. He approached her carefully, almost warily, until he came more in view by the glow of the lamps mounted on the wall. His face was blank, composed, framed by that beautiful black hair, and she could not help but to think he looked even more handsome, almost ethereally so, in this lighting.

The shadows played upon his chiseled features, which now were softening slowly from their icy encasement. When she saw it, she beamed at him, and she swore her heart stopped when his thin lips slowly creased into a smile. It was a ghost of one, hardly detectable, but she sighed and cupped his face, her thumbs tracing the whimsical smile.

"Good evening, Sakura." His voice sent pleasant, low vibrations through her while she grinned, and she reconsidered that her life was indeed risked just to hear her name said that way… So tender, so soothing… "You look lovely."

Her neck heated, and the blood dusted pink along her cheeks as it rose. "Shut up." Self consciously, she traced the rims of her eyes to rid any stray marks, and she could feel him faintly chuckle with their proximity.

Giving up any attempt to fix herself and knowing he hardly cared anyway, the roseate relaxed back against the wall and lazily twined her arms round his neck. Faintly, she trembled when he moved close and met her eyes with his own, so intimidating, but only in beauty. She had long since ceased to be afraid of him; in retrospect, she wondered why…

He was so gentle, so kind; it only took time and persistence to break down that shell and let him in to experience the man behind the supposed cold-blooded killer. "I missed you," she confessed at last, playing absently with the strands of his hair.

His face twitched for a moment, clearly still unaccustomed to affection or care. "As did I," he replied slowly, almost uncertainly, but she was pleased regardless… He was stiff by nature, she learned; it didn't much bother her that he was so taciturn and slow to expressing emotion.

Besides… He had far better ways of showing her how much he did feel.

She was tired and stressed, and he knew it quite well… After nearly six months, he could read her like a book, and she adored him all the more for it. Right now, all she wanted was his… company and a bit of a stress reliever. Itachi, as per his usual, picked up on it and sealed their lips together with a kiss.

Her fingers found purchase in the black material of his shirt, while her other pulled him close to feel the lovely contrast of soft curves to chiseled muscle. Sakura could not help but to let out a soft sound while his ambrosia-laced lips worked their magic, caressing her own lips, working them slowly until she was set aflame and her body melted against his.

To think they had only started… She would make the trip every hour just to taste him.

Itachi nipped her lip, and Sakura parted them as she let out a muffled gasp. His taste alluded her, melding in with her own cherry gloss, but all she knew was that she was utterly addicted while the scent of rainwater and sandalwood flooded her senses and his very presence boiled away the blood in her veins and pervaded through her. All she knew was him.

Their tongues coaxed each other: sliding, exploring, clashing. Her body thrummed with the thrill, the pleasure, and she moaned softly. Her hand fisted in his hair when he gripped the underside of her knee, sliding it up until it was hitched around his hip. Quick to take the hint, she adjusted the other so that her strong, toned legs were latched around his waist. They were impossibly close, their hips touching, and she cursed the barrier of clothing.

When he unexpectedly ground his hips to hers, she parted from the kiss with a breathless sound; he was quick to adjust his lips. Her arms held him close, stretched across his broad, muscled back while his head slid along her jaw, caressing the soft underside until he reached her ear, nipping the delicate cartilage to elicit the sweet sound of her gasp.

She murmured breathless encouragements; her head was tipped back against the cool wall, a palliation from the heat consuming her, brought on by his dark magic, the work of his sinful mouth wreaking havoc on her as open-mouthed kisses were dragged down her neck. Even in this heat, he was always mindful, for while his attentions were hot and aggressive, he never left a single mark on her porcelain skin. Her fingers tightened in his dark tresses when he reached the edge of the dress's material, his breath warm upon the tops of her breasts.

"Take us to the bedroom," she managed to grit out, her own voice breathy and hardly recognizable to herself. He always brought out this passion in her, and it was why, decidedly, she came back like a hopeless addict for more…

"As you wish," Itachi replied huskily with the faintest of smirks playing upon his lips.

He drew her body away from the wall, and she held him tightly as she watched the world move past her. It was mere ambiance; there was only one thing that existed in this world right now, and that was this impossibly gorgeous man making her feel like nothing else could.

The bedroom was satisfactory enough; large, bookcases, chair… Hardly important—there was a bed; that was what mattered. Sakura loosened her grip on the man as he dropped her only the mattress. The sheets creased around her, and she drew in a breath, subconsciously expanding her chest for him while her green eyes were dewy, unconsciously inviting.

Itachi's face was something unlike him; lit up with desire that sent chills all over her body. He was quick to crawl over her, and she gripped his shirt tightly, pulling him closer while she almost frantically sought out its hem. When she found it, Sakura quickly pulled it up and tossed it aside as if it were an offense, and bit her lip as she eyed him.

He stilled above her, as if flaunting, and she did not dare look him in the eye. He would either be smirking at her, smug, or she would see how much he was craving her and she wouldn't be able to hold back her girlish blush, even though they had been together so many times… His body was divine, carved by the gods themselves… He was leanly muscled, the ridges of his abdomen pleasing, and she never tired of watching them ripple beneath her touch as she dragged her hands from his naval to chest.

Then, she chanced a look up and groaned quietly at the look of dark desire while her nails gently wandered down the toned expanse. His own face contorted momentarily in surprised pleasure, and she felt a thrill through her when she reached his hips again. She hooked her fingers into the belt loops and pulled him down against her; she could have died at the feel of something rigid as he all too eagerly ground his hips down upon hers. But she only moaned softly and reveled in the vestige of control she had over the infamous Uchiha Itachi.

Of course, it never lasted when they had already begun progressing like this, and the generally chaste girl preferred it… Itachi hiked up her skirt, and she arched up her hips and back to aid him in removing the soft garment from her body—she was always amused how eager he was, and she supposed she was the only one fortunate enough to ever see the renowned shinobi fumble with anything. She smirked at him lazily, but it was quick to fade when he guided her hands above her head and kept them there while he backed up a bit to examine her fully.

Her skin was dusted with pink, and her breasts, full but not ample, heaved in time with her deep breaths, shaky upon exhalation. She could only turn her head a bit to the side and peer up at him shyly through her lashes, trying her best to remain completely calm under that passionate gaze that spoke volumes more than he ever would verbally. She only had to be under his pleasant scrutiny for a few moments longer, for he wasted little time in dipping his head down to pepper his kisses along the plain of her chest.

Then, she stiffed and whimpered softly when he dragged his lips along the soft flesh of her breasts, and tested his grip on her wrists when he took one of the pebbled peaks into his warm mouth. The sensation was exquisite; she could not help but to squirm a bit while her head fell back, mouth agape slightly in silent pleasure.

"Itachi," Sakura finally gasped out, mutedly, when he cupped the other unattended one. Her reward was more of the lovely sensation and his gentle purr, clearly pleased at the sound of his voice.

With her hands freed, she wrapped her arms around his body and her curious fingers roamed over his back. His warm, broad hands trailed up her sides, then delved down to barely tease the skin of her outer thigh. Reflexively, she parted her legs for him when they slipped towards her inner thigh. Already, her heartbeat was quickening in anticipation… Perhaps this heady sensation was what she craved more than anything—surely worth every agonizing moment of getting here, all the preparation…

Yes, Sakura knew she would be killed for this... To be found with one of Konoha's greatest enemies slipping off her undergarments, dipping his head down between her thighs as he held her knees against the mattress… But, she found, arching her back and letting out a soft moan, she did not care. She loved every moment of uninhibited bliss, this carnal pleasure only he brought her—the only one who ever had, and the only one who ever would.

Her flush deepened while she relaxed into his attentions… His tongue and lips were sinfully amazing; he traced it around the most sensitive area of her body, dipped it fleetingly into her, while his lips caressed and buzzed and drove her utterly mad with pleasure. Pleasant tingles erupted and surged through her entire body, and her mind slowly slipped away from her as her breathless sounds and moans became more frequent, more audible.

Her fingers restlessly massaged his scalp while he worked, and it was only a matter of minutes before his skilled tongue, tuned to her preferences, brought her to her end. She tossed back her head and cried out his name while pleasure rocked her body and made every muscle in her body tense and relax rhythmically. She gasped out as she began to relax, but when she fluttered her eyes up at him, he was above her, hungrier than ever…

Had he not done a thing to her, that gaze alone would have been enough to make her ready for him… She was more than enough now, and she bit her lip when he rested his hands on either side of her head, his weight comfortable against her small frame.

"Are you ready for me, Sakura?" Itachi asked huskily.

He always ascertained it, even though he should know… Her eyes were fervent, her body pushing up against his until their skin touched fully. "Yes, Itachi… Please…"

The raven-haired man met her eyes, and then sealed their lips together in a heated kiss. She responded immediately, and he only growled mutedly while he spread her legs further. Sakura took the cue to wrap them around his thighs, and she groaned, almost to herself, when she felt him press against her.

Her nails were lightly digging into his shoulders, and he parted to regard her as his harsh breaths fanned out against her sweat-glossed shoulder.

"Do it…"

Sakura was still reeling from her first orgasm when Itachi slid into her, and she admired his handsome face, jaw clenched and eyes falling shut while her body resisted his intrusion. Her inner muscles clenched around him, fickle while they struggled to push him out as he thrust in, but clinging to him tightly when he left. Itachi let out a low sound at the feel, and he could only marvel silently at after their unions, she still brought him this incredible sensation—the loss of control was not something he was familiar with.

But, for her, it was manageable… Enjoyable—only for her.

Both of them were in a suspended state of reality while Itachi kept a steady pace, slow but hard, nearly jerking her small frame;. She clung to him, her legs shifting higher around his body to bring him in deeper while her hips rocked in time with his. But still, it was not enough, and she hissed lowly against his ear while her teeth gently nipped the lobe.

"Faster, please…"

Itachi nodded stiffly, once, before drawing out of her and pushing back in with a new vigor. His pace was quick and deep, and she breathed encouragements; the fluttering within her sent ecstasy through her entire body. For him, its steady pulse drove him out of his rational mind as he craved more…

They could get no closer; their hearts beat as one, their bodies joined and moving together to work towards their common goal. His rhythm became erratic as sheer, animalistic desire began to dictate his powerful muscles' movements. Sakura had completely lost her restraint as she cried out for him, raking her nails down her back, and her second release hit her hard when she came undone beneath him.

Itachi sheathed into her fully as she convulsed around him; white-hot pleasure seared him and burst behind his eyes as pulsations of his own racked his body. He could only grit out her name against her ear, then slide down his nose to bury into her neck when he released into her, warmth flooding her.

Sakura's breathing was harsh against his neck while bliss descended upon her like an iron blanket, weighing her limbs down heavily. Her eyes were hazy with happiness and pleasure; his prowess, surely, must have been unmatched… She knew quite a few who could try to rationalize that this alone was her motivation for coming to the cold man.

She looked over at him and cupped his cheek when he rolled his weight off to the side of her. A sigh passed her lips, and he smiled at her very faintly, but the warmth in his eyes was not something that would ever go unnoticed by her again.

"Thank you," he breathed softly.

"'course, silly man," she replied with a soft laugh, brushing his bangs away from his face.

She hardly cared that she had lost her count and would have to wait it out a few hours before returning home… They were both tired, anyway.

He wrapped his arms around her waist; she turned into him, her hands upon his abdomen and head resting upon his chest. Very tenderly, Itachi pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered something in his beautiful, lilting tenor against her ear.

Aah, yes… Now she remembered why she came here nearly every night. She was madly, totally in love with him.


End file.
